


Space Oddity

by hobbit_hedgehog



Series: HQBB Word War Ficlets [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Alternate Universe - Space, Angst, Ficlet, One Shot, Science
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-11-23 11:23:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11401500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hobbit_hedgehog/pseuds/hobbit_hedgehog
Summary: Tendou Satori is chosen for a five year mission to Mars





	Space Oddity

**Author's Note:**

> More from the hqbbww server! Sorry in advance.

Commencing countdown.

_Ten_

The rumble of the thrusters rattled Tendou in his seat.  He gripped the handles of his seat, hoping that the safety restraints would stay in place.  Years of training had lead to this moment.  Excitement and tension in equal doses coursed through Tendou's system, the adrenaline that came with the knowledge of knowing soon he would be in space.  He grinned to himself.  It was happening.  It was really happening.

_Nine_

The smiling faces of his parents filled his mind.  They had been so ecstatic that he had been chosen for the space program.  They had been even more thrilled when he had told them that yes, he would be going to space.  He had been chosen as part of an exclusive group of astronauts.  He would be going to Mars.  He would be one of the first people to walk on the surface of the red planet.

_Eight_

Months of flight simulators.  Months of landing simulators.  Months of weightlessness and exercise to prepare him for long voyage in space.  He got motion sickness during the launch simulations, but once he was weightless, it was fine.  Trying on his suit for the first time had been a surreal experience.  He had never pictured that he would make it this far in the program.  To be picked for this mission, a one in a million chance….

_Seven_

Engines on.

_Six_

He had left everything with his parents, not wanting to leave a house empty for five year while he was on Mars.  He thought it was a good idea.

_Five_

His team consisted of five people, including himself.  Two Americans, a Russian, and another Japanese man.  They grew close quickly.  They would have to for five years worth of space travel.

_Four_

A Saturn V rocket had generated 34.5 million newtons of thrust at launch in order to make it to the moon during the Apollo Missions.  NASA had equivocated that to the power of 85 Hoover Dams.

_Three_

The memory of the faces his friends and coworkers as they celebrated his going away party the night before came next.  He had had a laugh at that, promising them that they would see him again before they knew it.  It was only a five year mission after all.

_Two_

Check ignition.

_One_

Tendou gripped the handles harder.

_Liftoff_

The rocket roared to life as it blasted from the launch pad, the solid fuel mixing with oxygen in the combustion chamber.  Twenty seconds in, the shuttle rolled to the right.  A 180 degree roll with a 78 degree pitch.  Tendou could feel the G Forces press him back into his seat.  He squeezed his eyes shut briefly, willing for the motion sickness he always got during lift off to dissipate.  The thrust of the rocket pushed the rocket higher, fighting against air resistance as the rocket climbed towards the atmosphere.  Sixty seconds in, the engines had reached maximum throttle.

With a sound that could barely be heard over the roar of the shuttle engines, the solid rocket boosters separated from the orbiter and fuel tank. They had reached 45 kilometers up, about halfway through the stratosphere.  Tendou knew from training that the SRBs would land in the ocean and be recovered for reuse.  They were too expensive not to.

 The shuttle rattled, a sign that it was approaching the escape velocity needed to break through Earth's gravity (40,000 kilometers per hour, Tendou would repeat to himself over and over again).  They were close.  They were so close.

The main engines throttled down, and Tendou felt the G forces lessen.  They left the thermosphere for the exosphere.  They were so close.

The main engines shut down external fuel tank broke off, rattling the shuttle again as it fell backwards towards Earth.

The shuttle's orbital maneuvering system kicked in, boosting them through the exosphere into low orbit.  Then boosted them into a higher orbit.  They had made it.  They had-.

Something was wrong.  Something was very wrong.

The communications went haywire.  The circuits of the communications system were dying.

"We're… We-. We're. Brea-ki-.  p. Do you- ead- We're."

Panic erupted in the cockpit.  They were on course for Mars, but their communications with Ground Control were dying.  Tendou felt an odd sense of calm wash over him as the rest of the crew panicked.

_For here am I sitting in a tin can, far above the world._

As the communication system shut out, as Tendou leaned back in his seat, staring up at the vast void of space, a lyric from one of the American's favorite songs came to him.  He let out a bitter chuckle at the thought.

_Planet Earth is blue, and there's nothing I can do._

They were alone.  That was all.  And Tendou felt serene, staring out at the void.


End file.
